Square Enix has confirmed that it's bought the rights to United Front Games' True Crime: Hong Kong, after Activision shelved the game earlier this year. While Square Enix now owns the rights to publish the game, it doesn't own the IP, meaning that True Crime: Hong Kong will be completely renamed and rebranded.

"When we first saw and got our hands on the game we fell in love with it," Square Enix London Studios General Manager Lee Singleton told Gamasutra in an interview regarding the acquisition of the "sticky" game.

"It's one of those games where you don't want to put the controller down; it's what we call 'sticky'" Singleton added. "When we met the team at United Front Games, it was a done deal in our eyes - we instantly recognised the huge potential in the game and the team. UFG is an incredibly talented team, who have individually worked on some of the biggest games in our industry, and this talent shines through from the moment you walk in the door."

While it's not currently clear what name True Crime: Hong Kong will now be released under, Square Enix is giving United Front Games the time it needs to make the game the best it can be. "We see this as a fantastic opportunity to create a new and unique franchise which gamers will come to know and love for years to come," said Singleton. "We are committed to working with the team at United Front Games and giving them the time needed to realise the full potential of the game's standout features and create a truly unique open world adventure."